Fifty years ago today, Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair were killed when the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed on Sunday, September 15, 1963 as an act of racially motivated terrorism. Prior to, the church served as a gathering point for many of the city’s Civil Rights activities, thus making it a target for those against integration.

The bombing generated the opposite of its desired effect for Civil Rights opponents. With four innocent children killed and 22 others injured in the blast, the tragedy focused the nation’s attention and sympathy to Alabama and the South, ultimately serving as further impetus for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In 1997, the film 4 Little Girls, directed by Spike Lee, was released and depicted the events around the bombing at the 16th Street Church. The film later went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for “Best Documentary.”

Join The Discussion

We are fortunate to live in this era and not have to endure the hardships that our parents and grandparents had. A lot of us (myself included) get wrapped up in our day to day living that we don’t take time to acknowledge the sacrifices of others that put us in the position that we’re in.

If we don’t remember and honor our past and apply lessons we’ve learned to the present; our future will be screwed. I know this thread won’t get the number of comments like a Drake, Kendrick, Ye, or Jay post, but it should.

This!!! I have a BA in History and Sociology and I have always viewed history as the study of the present. We study the past (events, people) to gain an understanding of the present and how we have to come the current state of our lives. This is the answer I give to people whenever they ask me why study history.

@Cyrane23 – That’s dope. I never studied history further cause I didn’t like how they often only gave the western side/influence of lifes story.

Also, just a question…with yourself having studied history/present, why do you think the “white race” became in charge/control/rich & the “black people” became the fighters/strugglers/slaves? This is not being racist either, more real & a mystery that I have always been fascinated by.

Something tells me it was just meant to be that way but I always wonder what if it had been the other way..

@Benza2.1
Now I may be wrong but slavery had been around since forever. My American Foundations professor always say that if Plato or Aristotle ever came to America the first they would say was “Where’s the slaves?”. So it’s not really a race thing, but a morality and war type of thing. Most slaves (of any race) are captured during times of war by the invading country. So a short answer would be that Europeans was just better at war. I know it’s a lot more to it but I’m not sure on the details.

@Benza2.1
As James Little stated slavery has been around for really the majority of human history. However, their is a difference between type of slavery that came about in the U.S. compared to slavery that occurred before in Africa and Europe. As James Little said a lot of it had to do with those captured in war, but a big difference actually has to do with their was a real possibility for slaves to work their way out of slavery. Also in many instances the violence in the U.S. slave system wasn’t there.

As for why the “white race” has been the dominate race for the last few hundred years, I subscribe to the Guns, Germs & Steel theory (read: [en.wikipedia.org]). Pretty much during the time period of the European conquest of the world they had the most advance technology and they were immune to many diseases that they brought over with them during their conquest. I do believe that this is a cyclical thing though. There are time periods in human history when Persians & Arabs were the dominate powers in the known world and same can be said about Africa Empires.

I do agree with you that the way history is taught in the U.S. and Canada is very white washed, which is why I combined my degree with sociology, but it is ONE perspective. I do believe that with the technology we have available in this day and age we can find multiple perspectives to supplement the education curriculum. And trust me I’m trying to become a high school teacher and this is what I want to achieve in my classroom.

So glad you took the time to share this and kick this important but tragic piece of history with folks. Remembering the hardships of our fore-bearers, especially when they forged a path of freedom for us is the most important source of wisdom we have.